Land O'Lakes Cheddar Wins Top Prize

KIEL, Wisc.Land O'Lakes cheesemakers won first place at the 2010 World Championship Cheese Contest, the largest international cheese and butter competition in the world. The Land O'Lakes entry for Cheddar (aged two years or more) achieved a near perfect score of 99.5 out of 100 after being evaluated on key attributes like flavor, body, and texture.

The high quality Cheddar that Kiels cheesemakers have produced for over half a century is not only used for the companys own Land O'Lakes branded products but is also highly sought after by fine dairy food manufacturers nationally and internationally. The companys Ingredients business provides quality Cheddar cheese and many other quality dairy ingredients such as natural and process cheese, as well as cheese and dairy powders, to prestigious food manufacturers around the world.

At the 28^th biennial contest, more than 20 nations submitted 1,300 entries in 51 categories to be judged by an international panel of cheese experts. Land OLakes won a total of five awards at the contest: In addition to the first place finish, three other Kiel Cheddar entries placed in the top fifteen of their respective categories, while third place was awarded to Kiels Monterrey Jack cheese. In 2008, the plant was honored with two gold medals in the Cheddar category.